Rihards Kols, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas, said that Latvia could refuse to issue tourist visas to all Russian citizens as part of the sanctions package against the Russian Federation.
He argued his proposal by saying that restrictive measures should affect not only the Russian authorities, but also the entire local population.
“You have to understand that at least 70% of Russians support the current policy of the Kremlin. Russian society believes that NATO is an aggressor. If this is the position of the majority of the country's population, then the Russians have no reason to go to aggressive, in their opinion, states, ”the politician explained.
To make such a decision, the support of other countries from the European Union is needed, for which such a step will be a serious test.
In response to the proposal, Vita Anda Terauda, head of the European Affairs Committee of the Seimas, said that before the “draconian” restrictions are brought up for discussion, they should be worked out in detail.
“If the sanction affects all citizens of Russia, it will be too harsh a measure. There are people who have nothing to do with the situation in Ukraine and who condemn the actions of their government,” she said.
Earlier, Prime Minister of Latvia Krisjanis Karins said that by 2026 the country will reduce its dependence on Russian gas through the development of wind parks.
bbabo.Net